Baby Blues
by Mitch
Summary: Not really romantic, but touching. Tenchi and Kiyone take care of baby Taro.


Baby Blues  
by Mitch  
wells17@gte.net  
  
  
  
Things were actually pretty quiet for a change. Ayeka had gone back to Jurai for a   
couple of days to fix some political problems that arose in her absence. Mihoshi had gone back   
to the Galaxy Police for some more acadamy training. Washu had gone on a scientific   
exhibition and had forced Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki to come along. Katshuito was on a short   
pilgrimage. Tenchi was left at the house with Sasami, Kiyone, and Nobuyuki. Things were   
basically settled down since no one was fighting over Tenchi nor were prone to cause other   
mishaps. Sasami missed Ryo-Ohki, her sister, and the others, but she begain to make do by   
concentrating on her housework. Kiyone, on the other hand, was enjoying the quiet, but was   
starting to get bored. She was actually missing Mihoshi, although she never said so. Tenchi   
was also missing the others, but at least he wasn't completely alone. Also, he found it more   
comfortable talking to Sasami than with Ryoko or Ayeka. As for Kiyone, he wanted to talk to   
her, but could never think of anything worthwhile to say. The few years between them, and   
upbringings that were light-years apart, made conversation difficult. He did try small talk   
now and then.  
  
Around the third day, things got interesting. The doorbell rang while Nobuyuki was  
at work, Tenchi was taking a bath, and Sasami was busy in the kitchen. Kiyone put down her   
book and went to the door. Strange, she thought, we don't usually get visitors.  
  
The visitor was an elderly woman who still had some good years left in her. She  
had wavy gray hair, slightly wrinkly skin, and a smile. Kiyone recognized her from family   
pictures as Tenchi's aunt.  
  
"Konnichi-wa," the woman said, "Er, who are you?"  
  
"Oh. I'm Kiyone Makabi."  
  
"Oh, my! I'm surprised that Tenchi has settled down."  
  
Obviously, the woman was a little confused. "Oh, it's not like that," Kiyone tried  
to explain, "We're just friends..."  
  
"Well, I'm just glad his social life is expanding."   
  
"You...could say that. So...'Auntie', is it? What can I do for you?"  
  
Suddenly, Kiyone fould herself with a drooling baby in her arms.  
  
"He's told you about his cousin Taro, right? Well, his dad's sick and his mom's  
having trouble taking care of them both, so...."   
-----  
  
"So, we have to take care of Taro?"  
  
"Yeah, until his father gets better, whenever that will be," explained Kiyone.  
  
"Wow!" exclaimed Sasami, "I haven't seen a baby in a while. He's so cute!"  
  
"Except for his runny nose. Yeah, he looks like Tenchi with puffy cheeks." Kiyone  
realized what she just implied. She tried to cover for it. "Hey, he's waking up. I hope  
we don't scare him."  
  
The baby looked at them with it's sleepy eyes. He seemed confused by his new   
surroundings.   
  
"I guess I should make some formula," said Kiyone, "try to comfort him, okay Sasami?"  
  
"Oh, you shouldn't go through the trouble," said Sasami, "I'll make the formula. You  
hold him."  
  
"Me? But...I've never...I'm not good at..."  
  
"Oh, you can do it," said Sasami as she disappeared intp the kitchen.  
  
Kiyone carefully picked up Taro. This is a new experience, she thought. Taro was  
a large baby, which helped matters. She didn't seem to scare him, which releaved her.  
Kiyone was afraid that Taro wouldn't be comfortable with strangers. She decided to rock him.   
It felt strangly comfortable. Sasami arrived with the formula and Tenchi showed up shortly   
after.  
  
"Girls, what are you...?"  
  
He then saw Taro in Kiyone's arms.  
  
"Cousin Taro? What...?"  
  
"Your aunt left him with us."  
  
Kiyone explained the situation. Tenchi looked a little nervous.  
  
"Do either of you have experience?" he asked.  
  
"I don't," said Kiyone, "I never had kids and I'm an only child."  
  
"I used to help at the royal nursery on planet Jurai," said Sasami.  
  
"Okay," said Tenchi, glad that humans were almost the same on Jurai as on Earth. Just   
then, Taro started to cry.  
  
"Uh, Sasami," said a worried Kiyone, I think it's time."  
  
"Time for what...? Oh. Look, I'll do the first one and whoever's with him at the time  
goes it," explained Sasami.  
  
What Sasami was refering to was the changing of Taro's diaper. Tenchi went out to wash   
the old one while Kiyone watched Sasami in case she would need to know during her turn.   
-----  
  
Things were quiet until Nobuyuki returned that evening. He was expecting Sasami's cooking   
and one of the quiet evenings he was becoming accostomed to. Admittingly, he missed the girls,  
but he was getting used to having evenings free of Ryoko/Ayeka fights, Mihoshi's stumblings,  
and Washus' experiments. What bothered him was that Kiyone had no special interest in Tenchi   
and Sasami was too young for his son. He sighed, figuring that it would be a while for the   
house to have the pitter-patter of little feet.  
  
He entered seeing Sasami handing a bottle to Kiyone who was using it to feed a baby that   
looked like Tenchi.   
  
"Kiyone! I never imagined! I couldn't tell you were even expecting! Oh, I get it! You  
and Tenchi have been wanting to surprise me all this time! Oh, thank you, thank you!"  
  
"Uh, Masaki-san, doesn't this look a little old to be a new-born?"  
  
Nobuyuki looked closer. "Taro? Oh, now I see. Uh, Kiyone..."  
  
"It's okay," she said, "I know you're impatient."  
  
As time went on, Nobukui was actually a big help. He was the one with the most experience.  
Sometimes, he said it was as if Tenchi was a baby all over again. He and Sasami were the most  
enthusiastic, but Tenchi and Kiyone were more hesitant. They loved Taro, but the felt like   
rookies. Fortunately, Taro liked them. As the days went by, they got more used to Taro.   
  
One evening while Taro was sleeping in Kiyone's arms, Tenchi watched her.  
  
"You're a natural, Kiyone."  
  
"I guess. I'll admit, I've often wondered what it would be like to be a mother. I think  
I have the urging, but not the time. I'm still rather young, anyway."  
  
"Well, you've been handling him well."  
  
"Oh," said Kiyone with a wry smile, "you've been doing okay yourself. Nobukui's gentle   
with Taro and Sasami's always playing with him. Not that she _isn't_ responsible. She's  
more experienced and probably better than I am at this. Speaking of which, I don't think I've  
actually had fun with Taro."  
  
"I see what you mean," said Tenchi, "I'm always changing and feeding him. I guess I don't  
know how to keep us both entertained."  
  
Kiyone thought for a second.  
  
"I think I know."  
-----  
  
"It's a shame that Dad and Sasami didn't want to come," said Tenchi, "I guess they wanted   
to get away from space trival for a while."  
  
"I suppose. Anyway, Taro likes it."  
  
In Kiyone's arms, Taro was cheering and clapping at the stars. The had taken the Yagami  
for a joy-ride so taro could see the stars close up. This made Kiyone think. To her and the  
others, space trival was common, but to Earthlings, it was not so. She wondered when she lost  
the wonder of it all. It was probably after she joined the Galaxy Police acadamy.   
  
Tenchi took Taro and held him up to the glass of the cockpit. The baby couldn't sound   
happier. Unfortunatly, he got a little too excited.   
  
"Uh, Kiyone, there isn't a changing station, is there?"  
  
"There's one between my room and Mihoshi's. I'll set it on automatic pilot and show you  
the way."  
  
They got there and tended to the child. They shared with the changing, powdering, and had  
him changed in the end.   
  
"You were holding him," teased Kiyone, "you have to wash it."  
  
Tenchi sighed in defeat. He knew it was only fair.  
  
"You can wash it in the bathroom," she explained, "it's through that door. It connects to   
our rooms." Kiyone finished her statement with a yawn.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"Yeah, just tired. You know, we're not at home so maybe I should help you wash him."  
-----  
  
Tenchi was glad that Kiyone volunteered. The bath, although recogniseble, was so advanced  
that he needed help to operate it. Anyway, they washed the diaper. The figured it was late,  
so they washed Taro as well. Tenchi suggested for Kiyone to get some sleep while he tended to  
Taro.  
  
"Okay, I'll sleep. You two can have Mihoshi's room or the couch in my quarters. The   
automatic pilot should get us home by morning."  
  
Tenchi found Mihoshi's room easy enough, but it was too messy. He almost didn't see the   
bed. So, he went to Kiyone's room, which was very nice. He found her closet and found a   
blanket for him and Taro to use. They got on the couch and wrapped the blanket over   
themselves.  
-----  
  
Kiyone couldn't sleep. She just couldn't stop thinking of Taro. She was afraid of   
something happening that Tenchi couldn't handle. She wondered if she was selling Tenchi short,  
but anything could happen. True, she and Tenchi had only gained their experience in this week,  
but they were very capable with Taro together. She wondered if she should check on them.   
  
Still in her sports bra and pajama shorts, she went to find them. She smiled when she saw   
them on the couch. Carefully, Kiyone tucked them in. They both looked so sweet. She wanted   
to kiss Taro, but was afraid of him catching germs. She would kiss Tenchi, but she was afraid  
of him taking it the wrong way and he had enough women troubles.   
  
She went back to her bedroom, but figured that she would just be too worried to sleep again.   
So, she put on a bathrobe and joined Taro and Tenchi. She sat at the end of the couch and slept  
there.  
-----  
  
Tenchi awoke to Taro's crying. He did it again. Tenchi awoke and got up when he noticed  
Kiyone in a robe sitting and sleeping next to the couch. He smiled. Obviously, she was   
watching over them. He wondered how to thank her. He'd kiss her cheek, but was afraid she  
would take it the wrong way. She was less likely to than the others, but he was afraid she  
would feel insecure about it. Just then, Taro patted her cheek. I guess he thanked her for   
both of us, he thought before he left.  
-----  
  
Kiyone found Tenchi changing Taro. "Looks like you've mangaed, Tenchi," she said. She  
then looked serious. "Tenchi, you don't think that...he sees us as..."  
"Let's hope not, especially since I'm his cousin. Anyway, his dad can't be sick too much   
longer."   
  
"That almost makes me sad," said Kiyone, "I...feel sort of attached to him."  
  
"You and me both," said Tenchi in a serious tone. He looked at Kiyone and smiled.   
"You've been great and so has Sasami. You two would make great mothers someday."  
"Sasami's a shoe-in," responded Kiyone, "I don't know where I's have the time, but...I do   
know you'd make a great father."  
  
She saw Tenchi blushing. "Er, I mean _someday_ . I wasn't impling anything except that  
I can see you as a dad."  
  
"That's alright. Although,...this _is_ the longest we've been together, right?"  
  
"I guess," she chuckled, "should we tell the other girls about this?"  
  
"Let's practice on the wording."  
----   
  
They didn't have to worry about the other girls any time soon. Auntie and Taro's mother  
showed up at the house a little after Tenchi and Kiyone came back. Nobuyuki had already gave  
them the pretense of Sasami and Kiyone being close friends from another family. "You know,"  
said Taro's mom, "you two would make a nice couple." Tenchi and Kiyone blushed at that   
statement. They handed Taro to her. "I hope he wasn't too much trouble."  
  
"Well, he has weak kidnies."  
  
She chuckled at that. "You know, Tenchi, I wouldn't mind becoming an aunt myself."  
  
-----  
  
When the girls came back, everyone had a story to tell. Ryo-Ohki had chewed up Washu's   
equipment and Ryoko spent too much money on sake, so they had to get back early. Ayeka was   
tired from dealing with the politics of throne-vacent Jurai and had remembered why she was  
vacationing on Earth. Mihoshi had done well at the acadamy, but had accidently caused massive  
damage.   
  
Sasami was in charge of discribing Taro's visit. THey all figured she give a   
non-suggestive version of it. When she heard it, Ryoko looked at Tenchi with a suggestive  
look in her eyes.  
  
"Hey, Tenchi, wouldn't it be great if _we_ had a kid?"  
  
"You? Lord Tenchi would never let you bear his children!" declared Ayeka.  
  
Everyone except Tenchi enjoyed the show.  
  
END 


End file.
